Keeping Their Dark Rose by Jessica & Jane

Chapter 25

Their malicious intent is evident in their cold eyes as they dump me into his arms. They know what he’s going to do to me, and they don’t care.

“Don’t worry, Rose. I know just the perfect alpha for you. He’s going to enjoy knotting you. Making you beg for him.” He growls into my ear, and tears sting my eyes as they fall down my face.

I’m trapped, and I can’t escape. He’ll force my heat and let others use me until there is nothing else left of me.

I jolt awake, my heart racing and sweat drenching my body. Gasping for air, I sit up in bed, my trembling hands clutching the sheets tightly. It takes a few moments for me to register that it was just a dream, but the vividness of it lingers in my mind. It felt so real.

“Why were you screaming?” Max asks and I realize that he’s sitting in the same chair as before. Hidden in the darkness, he leans forward, and the strip of moonlight falls on him. Highlighting his piercing brown eyes, the flecks of gold seem to almost glow, making him look anything but human.

I scrub my fists over my eyes, wiping away the tears as best as I can. Not wanting him to see me vulnerable, not while my nightmare is still heavy on my mind.

“I, I had a nightmare.” I stammer, trying to slow my breathing. “It was just a bad dream; I’m fine.”

“You’re shaking, and you reek of fear.” He says, his eyes moving over my face and down my body.

“I’m fine. It’s nothing.”

“Rose.” He growls my name, and I flinch.

“I was dreaming about the day my mom and your dad died,” I whisper, looking away from him and down at the blanket in my lap. Someone must have covered me up while I was sleeping because I don’t feel cold, and I’m still in my ripped pants, which would do little to keep me warm.

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12:48

Chapter 25

“I think about that day a lot. Why did you do it, send Ethan away from us?”

288 Nouchers

My heart starts to beat faster but I don’t tell him the truth. I can’t. Being around them has made old memories resurface, bloodstains on my hands that I can never wash away. I didn’t pull the trigger but I might as well have.

I won’t tell them the truth; I can’t. It would put them in danger, and I refuse to do that. No matter what they do to me or plan to do to me. I can live with them, hating me. I can’t live with myself knowing I killed them.

“Rose. Tell me. You nearly destroyed us all. You can at least give me that.” He demands, his voice is soft but I stay quiet. Not trusting myself to say anything. I can’t give him what he needs, can’t tell him a lie that he would see through.

“Dinner will be ready soon. You need to come eat,” Max says and I watch as he leaves the room.

I try to go back to sleep, but sleep escapes me. My body hurts and I feel shaky. My stomach rolls and I climb out of bed. Dog is with me, following after me as I make my way down the stairs and into the kitchen. I’m not hungry; the thought of food makes my stomach churn but I’m so thirsty.

-Max-

Having Rose in our home is a struggle, more so since last night Colt stayed with Ethan. At least if he were in here, I’d have him here to keep my mind off of her. But no, he was with my brother. Rose was down the hall, just out of my reach, so close, so da mn close.

Ethan needs him more at the moment, both of them are struggling with having her here. She acted so differently from before. Always watching us, like she was waiting for us to hurt her. The thing about food bothered me.

Rose was an omega. She shouldn’t have to be out there bartering for food and offering to do go d knows what to get it. We had felt it every time she had been with someone who wasn’t us. What if our anger wasn’t justified. We had all thought she had been out there having fun but seeing her at breakfast and hearing her questions made me have doubts.

I need to keep reminding myself what Ethan said about her being a good actress. She’s fooled us all before and I won’t let her do it again. She can act hurt and whimper at my touch but I know the truth. It’s all an act meant to make us drop our guard around her. We’ve seen it before. She lied to our faces, set Ethan up, set us

33 CON

Chapter 25

“I think about that day a lot. Why did you do it, send Ethan away from us?”

288 Vouchers

My heart starts to beat faster but I don’t tell him the truth. I can’t. Being around them has made old memories resurface, bloodstains on my hands that I can never wash away. I didn’t pull the trigger but I might as well have.

I won’t tell them the truth; I can’t. It would put them in danger, and I refuse to do that. No matter what they do to me or plan to do to me. I can live with them, hating me. I can’t live with myself knowing I killed them.

“Rose. Tell me. You nearly destroyed us all. You can at least give me that.” He demands, his voice is soft but I stay quiet. Not trusting myself to say anything. I can’t give him what he needs, can’t tell him a lie that he would see through.

“Dinner will be ready soon. You need to come eat,” Max says and I watch as he leaves the room.

I try to go back to sleep, but sleep escapes me. My body hurts and I feel shaky. My stomach rolls and I climb out of bed. Dog is with me, following after me as I make my way down the stairs and into the kitchen. I’m not hungry; the thought of food makes my stomach churn but I’m so thirsty.

-Max-

Having Rose in our home is a struggle, more so since last night Colt stayed with Ethan. At least if he were in here, I’d have him here to keep my mind off of her. But no, he was with my brother. Rose was down the hall, just out of my reach, so close,

so da mn close.

Ethan needs him more at the moment, both of them are struggling with having her here. She acted so differently from before. Always watching us, like she was waiting for us to hurt her. The thing about food bothered me.

Rose was an omega. She shouldn’t have to be out there bartering for food and offering to do go d knows what to get it. We had felt it every time she had been with someone who wasn’t us. What if our anger wasn’t justified. We had all thought she had been out there having fun but seeing her at breakfast and hearing her questions made me have doubts.

I need to keep reminding myself what Ethan said about her being a good actress. She’s fooled us all before and I won’t let her do it again. She can act hurt and whimper at my touch but I know the truth. It’s all an act meant to make us drop our guard around her. We’ve seen it before. She lied to our faces, set Ethan up, set us

all up.

The act she put on after killing her mother was a f ucking award-winning performance. The way she cried during the trial. The way she manipulated everyone with her tears, making us believe she was innocent. It sickens me to think about it. But deep down, I can’t deny the undeniable pull she has on me.

I pace back and forth in my bedroom, Ethan and Colt have returned and I can hear Ethan in his room. He’s struggling much the same way I am only for him, it’s so much worse.

Rose sent him to prison and I know he wants to punish her for it but he also wants to take care of her. She’s ours, its a hard balance for him and I’m glad that Colt has been giving him extra attention. Though it does make it harder for me. Normally, it doesn’t bother me, the two of them together. But right now, I’m so on edge. My

beast is so close to the surface.

Tempting me with thoughts of my mate… Of claiming her, it didn’t help that she needed me to tend to her wounds. Every time I touched her, it was hard and harder to keep up that professional mask. I couldn’t let her in, though.